Filed to story: My Husband Regrets Divorcing Me (Audrey & Cornell)
These words left Luciana unsure of how to respond.
“Why are you so stubborn…”
“I’ll see her myself if you won’t do it for me,” Cornell declared, determined, and attempted to rise from his bed, only to be bathed in a cold sweat from the effort.
Luciana, alarmed and pale, urged him back to bed, relenting, “Alright, stay. I’ll have her come to you.”
Audrey was taken aback by Luciana’s unexpected call.
After their last encounter, she hadn’t anticipated any further communication, especially not kindness. She suspected Cornell’s influence.
Yet, with Cornell now engaged to Eloise, Audrey wished to sever all ties.
It was time to close the chapter between them.
Therefore, Audrey declined Luciana’s request with politeness.
To her astonishment, Luciana insisted, “Regardless of your history with Cornell, he’s hurt because of you. It’s your responsibility to care for him. We’ll discuss everything else afterwards.”
Luciana’s words bore the weight of an ethical obligation, yet they rang true.
Left without options, Audrey complied and hailed a taxi to the hospital.
In an unexpected twist at the hospital parking lot, she encountered Henley, who was there to pick up medication for his mother.
Henley had been concerned after days of failure to reach Audrey, and though they had finally spoken, her excuse of fever and phone neglect seemed dubious to him.
Encountering her at the hospital now only deepened his suspicions.
Yet, since Audrey withheld the truth, Henley chose not to pry further.
Upon entering the lobby, they parted ways, and Audrey ascended to the upper floors in the elevator.
In the VIP ward, Cornelll was seated in a wheelchair, gazing steadily out the window.
Since Luciana had mentioned Audrey’s imminent arrival, he had maintained his vigil. Yet, his current state really didn’t allow for prolonged sitting.
Matteo, observing this, couldn’t help but feel compassion for Cornelll, who remained silent, his eagerness to see Audrey apparent.
Yet, Matteo couldn’t help but notice how Cornelll’s usually calm face suddenly grew icy.
To Cornelll’s dismay, after such a lengthy wait, the first sight he caught was Audrey at the parking lot with Henley, their seeming proximity suggesting an unmistakably intimate closeness.
This sight hit Cornelll Like a blow. He thought Audrey had been with Henley all this time, not coming to see him after his awakening.
Cornelll’s complexion drained to a ghostly pallor, his heart felt as if it had been shredded and tossed aside, the agony so intense it stole his breath.
A few moments later, with his expression steeled, he wheeled himself back to his bed.
Matteo, puzzled by Cornelll’s abrupt mood shift, held his questions.
The ward’s door swung open shortly after, and Audrey walked in.
Matteo, sensing a shift in the atmosphere, greeted Audrey and discreetly exited, leaving the two in a silent standoff.
Audrey, however, remained silent.
Cornell’s striking features had lost their color, his usually vibrant and alluring lips now pale.
He resembled delicate porcelain, exquisite yet fragile.
Tears brimmed in Audrey’s eyes unexpectedly.
She had overestimated herself.
Cornell’s frail appearance instinctively drew her compassion.
Approaching the bed, her voice barely a whisper, she inquired, “Are you feeling any better?”
Her voice, heavy with emotion, betrayed her inner turmoil.
Cornell, however, seemed to disregard her concern.
He scoffed.
“Why do you even care?”
His words left Audrey speechless, sensing his resentment toward her.
But the reason for his anger eluded her, and she chose not to probe.
Audrey unscrewed the lid of her thermal pot, dishing out a bowl of porridge for Cornell.
This porridge was tailored to aid Cornell’s recovery. It had taken her some time to make it, which explained her late arrival at the hospital.
She offered the bowl to Cornell, suggesting, “Try some porridge.”
But Cornell, wearing a frosty look, remained silent. He feigned interest in a financial magazine instead.
Audrey held out the bowl patiently, but Cornell showed no intention of accepting it.
Feeling slightly awkward, she set the bowl on the bedside table.
A gloomy air filled the room.
Confused by Cornell’s coldness, Audrey simply sat down and began messaging Nicole.
Cornell’s irritation grew upon seeing Audrey texting so nonchalantly, thinking she was unwilling to pay him a visit.
He bit his lip, holding back his anger, fearing he’d lash out at Audrey once more.
Soon, Cornell made a move to rise, his chest wound protesting the motion with a tight pull, casting a shadow over his expression.
Audrey, moved by pity, instinctively reached out to assist him.
Clap! Cornell’s hand came down sharply on hers.
His slap was forceful, loaded with aversion to her touch.
The sting left Audrey’s hand red, her eyes welling up immediately.
Alexis had hurled insults at her, calling her derogatory names, yet none of that compared to the sorrow she felt now.
Cornell’s reluctance to see her was obvious, yet he didn’t make it known to Luciana. Had he done so, she wouldn’t have come at all.
“Cornell, if my presence bothers you that much, I’ll just go. There’s no need for that.”
Reagan’s eyes brimmed with tears, on the verge of spilling at any moment.
Cornell let out a sneer, his patience worn thin.
“Oh, are you in a hurry? Eager to meet your boyfriend? Then, by all means, go!”
Anger clenched Audrey’s jaw tight.
First, it was Alexis’ brazen insults, and now Cornell’s mocking laughter.
Why did she subject herself to such degradation?
She had come of her own accord, only to be mocked and belittled!
The tears that she had fought to hold back now traced paths down her face.
With a silent swipe of her hands over her cheeks, Audrey turned to leave.
Yet, the moment she reached the door, a startling thud echoed behind her.
She stiffened, turned, and found Cornell collapsed on the floor, his face ashen.
Alarmed, she hurried back to his side.
There he was, lying motionless, pain etched across his features.
Audrey’s heart raced, her eyes welling up with tears.
“What is the matter, Cornell? You’re frightening me. Can you get up?”
Cornell lay motionless. The freshly replaced gauze on his chest darkened with blood.
Fear seized Audrey, her thoughts scattering into oblivion.